DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM BRANCH MARINE AND COASTAL MANAGEMENT POLICY FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND ALLOCATION OF COMMERCIAL FISHING RIGHTS IN THE TUNA POLE FISHERY: 2005 THIS POLICY MUST BE READ WITH THE GENERAL POLICY ON THE ALLOCATION AND MANAGEMENT OF LONG-TERM COMMERCIAL FISHING RIGHTS: 2005 (available at www.mcm-deat.gov.za)
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 3 2. Biology and resource dynamics 3 3. Profile of the Fishery 4 5. Over-arching sectoral objectives 5 6. Duration of Rights 6 7. New entrants 6 8. Evaluation criteria 6 8.1 Exclusionary criteria 6 8.2 Balancing criteria 7 (a) Transformation 8 (b) Investment in the fishery 8 (c) Fishing performance 9 (d) Reliance on tuna 9 (e) Value-adding and enterprise development 9 (f) Local economic development 9 (g) Jobs 10 (h) Non-payment of fish levies 10 8.3 Effort allocations 10 9. Suitable vessels 11 10. Multi-sector involvement 11 11. Application fees and levies 11 12. Management measures 12 12.1 Ecosystem approach to fisheries management 12 12.2 Consolidation of participants 12 12.3 Vessels and fishing effort 12 12.4 Monopolies 12 13. Performance measuring 13 14. Observer programme 13 15. Permit conditions 13 Tuna Pole Policy: June 2005 2
1. Introduction This policy on the allocation and management of commercial fishing rights in the tuna pole fishery is issued by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism ( the Minister ). This policy must be read with the General Policy on the Allocation and Management of Long-Term Commercial Fishing Rights: 2005 ( the General policy ). The purpose of this policy is to set out the considerations that will apply to the allocation of long-term commercial tuna pole fishing rights. Many of these considerations are not new. They have been applied by the Minister and the delegated authorities of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism: Branch Marine and Coastal Management ("the Department") when allocating rights in the past and to an extent this policy documents those considerations. Certain post-rights allocation management policies are also presented in this policy. A Tuna Pole Fishery Management Manual will be finalised with all right-holders during the course of 2006. This manual will stipulate in detail the management methodology and procedures for the fishery. The Minister intends to delegate the section 18 power to allocate tuna pole rights in terms of section 79 of the Marine Living Resources Act 18 of 1998 ( the MLRA ) to a senior official of the Department. The policy documents will guide the delegated authority in taking decisions on applications in this fishery. 2. Biology and resource dynamics Albacore (Thunnus alalunga) is predominantly a temperate water tuna. It is a pelagic species and, juvenile albacore of less than 90 centimetres in length typically form large schools near the surface of the water. Adult albacore occur much lower down in the water column and do not form large schools. Therefore, they are unavailable to the surface gear used by the poling fleet. In the Atlantic Ocean there are two stocks of albacore; the northern stock is separated from the southern stock at approximately 5 N. Albacore spawn in the western Atlantic in both hemispheres. Albacore have a wide geographic distribution, occurring in all the major ocean basins. The South African poling fleet only operates along the west coast of South Africa, targeting the southern Atlantic albacore stock. Stocks of Indian Ocean albacore, which occur along the east coast of South Africa, are considerably less abundant. Large Tuna Pole Policy: June 2005 3
quantities of southern albacore are also caught off the coasts of Namibia, Brazil and Argentina. Albacore are only caught in South African waters between October and June and therefore the tuna pole fishery is seasonal. The availability of the resource to the fishery is further determined by environmental conditions, which in some years concentrate fish and bring them closer to shore. Due to its occurrence on the high seas, albacore is caught by many nations. The management of this species is the responsibility of regional fisheries management organisations ( RFMOs ), such as the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas ( ICCAT ) and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission ( IOTC ). The management of the stocks by the RFMOs are effected through stock assessments, the setting of Total Allowable Catches ( TACs ), the allocation of country qutoas and the development of compliance and control measures. 3. Profile of the Fishery The tuna pole fishery uses surface gear to target schooling juvenile albacore in the southeast Atlantic, largely for export to canning markets. Other tuna species that are landed include yellowfin and bigeye tuna, but these species make up less than five percent of the annual catch. However, some right-holders have started targeting these tunas for sale on the sashimi markets in Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Japan. Southern Atlantic albacore has been commercially fished since the 1950 s. Total landings had fluctuated around 24 000 tons between 1965 and 1985. Thereafter landings increased to approximately 30 000 tons. The fishing nations that target albacore in the South Atlantic are Chinese Taipei (averaging 16 800 tons between 1998 and 2002), South Africa (6 200 tons), Brazil (4 000 tons) and Namibia (2 300 tons). The South Atlantic albacore stock is not over-exploited, despite catches exceeding the global TAC for several years. As ICCAT has not issued country allocations for the South Atlantic albacore stock, the South African fishery is managed by the Department through a total applied effort ( TAE ) of 200 vessels carrying a maximum of 3 600 crew. Over the years, two types of vessels have emerged in this fishery. The first were large vessels with onboard freezers, capable of spending substantial periods at sea with a crew of 20 or more. The second type were smaller Tuna Pole Policy: June 2005 4
vessels that carried less than 20 crew, spending no more than five days at sea. Some 165 vessels are authorised to target tunas using the pole method. More than 2 700 crew are employed on these vessels. The fishery is not capital intensive, but locating and fishing for tuna using the pole method requires a skilled crew. 4. The medium-term rights allocation process During the medium term rights allocation process,152 commercial tuna pole fishing rights were allocated, thereby authorising 165 vessels and more than 2 700 crew to target tuna using the pole method. Of the rights allocated, 20.5 percent were allocated to black persons or black-owned and controlled entities. Ninety (90) percent of the workers in this fishery are black. Only 29 percent of the right-holders in this fishery are legal entities. The remainder are natural persons (individuals). 5. Over-arching sectoral objectives The objectives of allocating long-term fishing rights in the tuna pole fishery are to: Notably improve the transformation profile of the fishery; Promote investment in vessels (to modernise or replace ageing vessels), infrastructure and to promote job security; Improve South Africa s record of performance in the tuna fisheries; Allocate rights to small businesses who rely on the tuna pole fishery for a significant proportion of their income; Support the economic viability of the fishery; and Ensure the environmental sustainability of the fishery. Tuna Pole Policy: June 2005 5
6. Duration of Rights Having regard to the transformation profile of the fishery; and the need to increase the catch performance of right-holders, rights will be allocated for a period of eight years (1 January 2006 to 31 December 2013). The Department will regularly evaluate right holders against predetermined performance criteria (see Paragraph 13 below). 7. New entrants The tuna pole fishery is currently under-subscribed and the transformation profile of the fishery is unsatisfactory. Accordingly, there may be room for additional participants and new entrants. 8. Evaluation criteria Applications will be screened in terms of a set of exclusionary criteria. New entrant applicants and previous rightholder applicants will then be separately assessed in terms of a set of weighted comparative balancing criteria. A cut-off score or rank will be determined in order to select the successful applicants. A proportion of the TAE will be allocated to each successful applicant in terms of a set of quantum criteria. 8.1 Exclusionary criteria Apart from the criteria described in the General policy pertaining to the lodgement of applications and material defects, the delegate authority will exclude applicants that fail to meet the following requirements: (a) Form of the applicant: Applications will only be considered from entities incorporated in terms of the Close Corporations Act 69 of 1984 and the Companies Act 61 of 1973. Rights will not be granted to natural persons (i.e. individuals or sole proprietors) and trusts. Current natural person right holders and trust must apply in the form of a close corporation or company and will be treated as medium term right holder applicants provided that they comply with the guidelines set out in the General Policy. Tuna Pole Policy: June 2005 6
(b) Compliance: If an applicant, or its members, directors or controlling shareholder has been convicted of a serious infringement of the MLRA, the regulations, permit conditions or other serious fishery related offences during the medium-term right period, the applicant will not be allocated a tuna pole fishing right. This does not include the payment of an admission of guilt fine. Rights will also not be allocated to an applicant if the applicant, or its members, directors or controlling shareholders, has had any fishing right cancelled or revoked in terms of the MLRA, or assets seized under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998 or the MLRA. Decisions may be reserved on applications if an applicant (or its members, directors or controlling shareholders) is being investigated for a breach of the MLRA. Right-holders are required to pay a levy on targeted fish landed. Right-holders that have underreported catches to avoid the payment of levies will be excluded. Right-holders that have not paid levies will be penalised in the comparative balancing process as set out below. Should such an applicant nevertheless qualify for a right, a fishing permit will not be issued until the outstanding monies have been paid to the Department. (c) Paper quotas: Paper quotas, as defined in the General policy, will be excluded. (d) Access to a suitable vessel: Applicants will have to demonstrate a right of access to a suitable vessel (see paragraph 9 below). (e) Non utilisation: The delegated authority may refuse to re-allocate a right if a right holder applicant failed to fully utilise its medium-term commercial tuna pole fishing right between 2002 and 2004. 8.2 Balancing criteria Right-holder applicants and potential new entrants will be evaluated in terms of the following balancing criteria, which will be weighted to assess the strength of each application. The criteria stated below must be read with the corresponding criteria in the General policy for further detail. This applies in particular to the transformation criterion. Tuna Pole Policy: June 2005 7
(a) Transformation The medium term rights allocation records suggest that this fishery is comparatively less transformed than other fisheries Applicants will be assessed on The percentage black and women ownership and black and women representation at top salary, board of directors and senior official and management levels; Whether employees (other than top salary earners) benefit from an employee share scheme; Affirmative procurement; Compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 and the representivity of blacks and women at the various levels of employment. The delegated authority may also have regard to the wage differentials between the highest and lowest paid employees; Compliance with legislation on skills development and the amounts spent on the training of blacks and participation in learnership programmes; and Corporate social investment. (b) Investment in the fishery Applicants will be evaluated by having regard to investments made. As far as right-holder applicants are concerned, the delegated authority will specifically consider: Investments in suitable vessels and other fixed assets. In respect of vessels, investment in the form of shareholding will also be considered. Right-holder applicants will not be rewarded for having concluded lvessel purchase agreements; Investments in processing and marketing infrastructure. The delegated authority may reward right holder applicants that have invested in tuna processing and marketing. As far as new entrant applicants are concerned, the delegated authority will consider investments made in other sectors in the form of vessels and fixed assets, marketing and processing. Tuna Pole Policy: June 2005 8
(c) Fishing performance Right holder applicants will be assessed by having regard to their performance in the tuna pole fishery over the medium-term period. Right holder applicants that targeted traditional linefish stocks over tuna should be penalised. New entrant applicants will be assessed by having regard to whether they have the ability, knowledge and skills to participate in the tuna fishery. (d) Reliance on tuna The delegated authority will positively score applicants who rely on tuna pole fishing for a significant proportion of their gross annual income. (e) Value-adding and enterprise development The delegated authority may have regard to enterprise development and to the ability of rightholder applicants to add value to tuna caught. New entrant applicants will be required to indicate how they intend to add maximum value to tuna caught. They will be scored on their fishing plans in particular. (f) Local economic development Investment in a number of South Africa s smaller coastal towns should be promoted. The delegated authority may reward those applicants that have invested in smaller coastal towns outside of the large metropolitan areas. Right holders that have invested in facilities in large metropolitan areas will not be negatively scored. Tuna Pole Policy: June 2005 9
(g) Jobs Job creation and increases in jobs as a result of the allocation of medium term fishing rights may be rewarded, and in particular, applicants that have provided their employees with Full time employment; Medical aid and pension; and Safe working conditions. (h) Non-payment of fish levies Right holder applicants will be penalised if their levies payable to the Department are outstanding for a period longer than 60 days at the date of application. (i) Compliance If the applicant, its members or its directors or controlling shareholders have been convicted of a minor infringement of the MLRA, the regulations, permit conditions or other fishery related offences, during the medium-term right period, or paid admission of guilt fines for contraventions of the MLRA, its regulations or permit conditions, the applicant will be penalised. 8.3 Effort allocations Due to the fact that the fishery was under-subscribed over the medium-term period, it was possible to allocate to each successful applicant the number of vessels nominated. If the fishery remains undersubscribed, the delegated authority may allocate to each successful applicant the number of vessels nominated. However, if the number of vessels nominated by successful applicants exceeds the effort available, the delegated authority should allocate one vessel to each successful applicant and the remaining vessels to those successful applicants that scored the highest for transformation, provided that such an applicant had nominated more than one vessel and the further vessels are either entirely owned by the applicant or the applicant owns a substantial share in the vessel. Tuna Pole Policy: June 2005 10
9. Suitable vessels A suitable vessel in the tuna pole fishery is a vessel that: has a minimum SAMSA registered length of approximately 10 metres. Smaller vessels may be considered, provided they can demonstrate a catch record in the tuna pole fishery; is certified by SAMSA to have a minimum operational range of 40 miles (Category B vessel); has a functioning vessel monitoring system; and is equipped with freezer or ice facilities. 10. Multi-sector involvement Right holders in the tuna pole fishery are not precluded from holding commercial fishing rights in the Cluster A and Cluster B fisheries. Tuna pole right-holders, including their controlling shareholders or members (in the case of close corporations) and members of their executive management team will not be permitted to hold commercial fishing rights in the Cluster C and Cluster D fisheries, and traditional line fish rights. 11. Application fees and levies The application fee for this fishery will be determined having regard to: The cost of the entire rights allocation process, including consultation, receipting, evaluation of applications, verification, appeals and reviews; and The value of the fish being allocated over the duration of the right. The annual levies payable with effect from 1 January 2006 will be determined after consultation with right holders. The levies payable will be utilised by the Department for mitigating the annual costs of management, compliance and research. Tuna Pole Policy: June 2005 11
12. Management measures The management measures discussed below reflect a number of the Department s principal post- right allocation management intentions for this fishery. 12.1 Ecosystem approach to fisheries management This fishery will be managed in accordance with the ecosystem approach to fisheries ( EAF ). An ecosystem approach to fisheries management is a holistic and integrated policy that recognises that fishing and associated land-based activities impact on the broader marine environment. The EAF in the tuna fisheries will be detailed in the Tuna Pole Fishery Management Manual. South Africa remains committed to the target date of 2010 for the implementation of an EAF in the commercial fisheries. 12.2 Consolidation of participants Subsequent to the allocation of the eight-year commercial fishing rights in the tuna pole fishery, the Department will facilitate the consolidation of the right-holders active in the fishery. Right holders may want to consolidate their respective business operations Where right-holders share the same shareholders, offices or management team; or Where smaller right holders opt to consolidate their business operations so as to improve the transformation profile of this fishery. Consolidation of right-holders is, however, subject to the Department s approach to monopolies (see paragraph 12.4 below). Consolidation will not be supported by the Department where it could result in the reduction of the transformation profile of the tuna pole fishery. 12.3 Vessels and fishing effort There are presently 140 tuna pole vessels in this fishery. The fishery is able to sustain 200 vessels and 3 600 crew. The fishery is therefore not optimally exploited. 12.4 Monopolies While the Department will encourage the consolidation of right-holders in this fishery, the Department is Tuna Pole Policy: June 2005 12
opposed to monopolies which may operate to the detriment of smaller right-holders. 13. Performance measuring The Department will institute a number of performance measuring exercises for the duration of the commercial fishing rights. It is envisaged that the first performance measuring exercise will take place after one year and thereafter every three years. Although the Department will finalise the precise criteria against which right-holders will be measured after consulting with right-holders, the following broad performance-related criteria may be used: transformation; investment in vessels and gear; catch performance; compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The purpose of performance measuring will be to ensure that the objectives of the fishery are being met and that management methodologies and procedures remain current and suitable for the fishery. 14. Observer programme The Department s current observer programme will be expanded to include compliance observation. In addition, the Department will progressively increase the observer coverage of this fishery. Right-holders will be required to bear the costs of the observer programme. 15. Permit conditions Permit conditions for this fishery will be issued annually. The permit conditions will be determined after consultation with right holders in this fishery but subject to the requirements of any applicable regional fishery management organisation and will be subject to revision as and when it may be necessary. Tuna Pole Policy: June 2005 13